Pros

Cons

* Dated, both stylistically and mechanically. * Frustrating GPS system that gives you the confidence to continue without it.

Introduction & Summary

It was back in the early 1960s that the term Unisex was coined. Connoting not all items were gender-specific, it’s a term that grew in popularity amongst designers, buyers, and wearers of apparels and accessories over the years, but certainly never got much light in the automotive realm.

Formerly referred to as the FX, the QX70S Elite Sport is indeed a cosmetic experiment on the Japanese crossover that has been roaming our streets since 2008. With a few dark chrome accents adorning the QX70S, we find out if the “Elite Sport” is more than a sneaky approach to applying some lipstick onto a pig.

Styling & Design

Below its layer of make-up, reside taut, softly defined contours and tapered creases that contrast the brawny physique of the QX70S. The outcome isn’t a styling disaster, but merely a product that appeals to both – those hailing from Venus, as well as from Mars. Subtle stylistic touches such as the dark grille, side vents, and Enkei wheels are a pleasant addition, but don’t do much in the way of making the spruced up QX70S stand out.

On the other hand, the interior is the result of a raunchy lovemaking session between the Nissan Maxima and the Infiniti Q40, and though it all looks a little familiar, it isn’t all that bad. An abundance of black leather and lacquered trim embellish the cabin, while purple stitching along the gear shift boot, seats and arm rest, add a flair of colour.

Features

With dimensions measuring 4,865mm long, 1,925mm wide, and 1,680mm tall, the Japanese crossover isn’t very difficult to manage. In fact, with four cameras scattered around the vehicle, parking like an ace in the very first attempt is almost a given.

For the audiophiles, a 11 speaker Bose system with CD, USB, and AUX capability that delivers phenomenal sound clarity, coupled with some thumping bass, is present. Whether it’s the likes of Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli, or Rick Ross and YG that you enjoy, you can be assured it will sound great in the QX70S.

Unfortunately, the GPS system isn’t as praiseworthy. Requiring you to continually sift through several menus, categories and smaller lists before finally displaying the inevitable “destination not found”, it’s a daunting process that instills enough confidence in the driver to go on without it.

Performance, Ride & Handling

The 2015 Infiniti QX70S Elite Sport affirms its age with the lack of LEDs along its visage, a monochrome instrument cluster display, and the absence of a drive mode selector along the centre console. But it isn’t all bad, as it’s got enough grunt to match its scowling expression.

A tap of the engine starter switch with the brake pedal depressed and the 3.7 litre V6 springs to life. Directing 329 horsepower and 360 Nm of torque to an All Wheel Drive layout, grip is something that’s virtually endless, with the only restricting factor being the size of the courage platter located deep within the driver.

Mated to an exceptional 7 speed transmission that isn’t in a hurry to sprint into the highest gear at all times, it’s an enjoyable experience, one that’s made even better with superb gear holding and downshift rev matching mechanisms. When carving up the corners, the large magnesium paddles add to the fun, while each gear change and wide throttle opening is accompanied with pleasant aural symphonies.

While the firm suspension setup does a fabulous job of curtailing body roll when driving enthusiastically, it can get in the way of simple, comfortable cruising. With a constant and prominent bounce on the slightest of road undulations, the brand’s inclination to placing greater emphasis on sportiness rather than luxury with the QX70S is evident.

Comfort & Practicality

Comfort comes in the form of large, well bolstered and ventilated seats wrapped in plush leather. With manual leg extensions, rear A/C vents, and no shortage of head or leg room, be it seated in the front or the back, you’re bound to be comfortable.

On the practicality front, boot space measures 702 litres with the second row seats in use and 1,756 litres once stowed away. While it doesn’t sound like a lot, it’s significantly more than the Audi Q5’s 540 litres and Lexus RX350’s 446 litres. Conquering the daily inter-emirate commute, the QX70S Elite Sport proved its practicality further by returning an average fuel consumption of 13.5 litres / 100 kilometres.

Price & Verdict

Offering the ideal blend of power and versatility, the QX70S Elite Sport makes for a compelling case. Granted, the Elite Sport isn’t any more “elite” or “sportier” than the regular QX70S, but it’s still a brilliant vehicle nonetheless. Wearing a price tag of AED 215,000, the QX70S Elite Sport fits neatly between its rivals- the Audi Q5 at AED 210,000 and the Lexus RX350 at AED 245,000.

Appealing to the gals with its stylish frame and to the guys with its exhilarating drive, the QX70S is one of the few vehicles that is worthy of introducing the term Unisex to the automotive realm. So move aside Audi and Lexus, make way for the champ.

Fadi on Deesch Papke assigned CEO of Porsche Middle East and Africa FZETo whom it may concernI would like to share our frustration in dealing with Porsche and Al Nabooda in the last 10 years!After our first Cayan for my wife back in 2008 and the current Macan 2015 we decided to write this letter to Porsche directly.The main objective of AL Nabooda is to overcharge their customers specially on spare parts and the denial on the warranty coverage even on small requests and when you complaint about the prices they offer a big discount! when I refused to renew the Cayan warranty they agreed to change the hand rest!By the end of 2017 we decided to sell our Cayan and move to the new Macan model and that was the biggest mistake!We have bought a Macan S 2015 from Al Nabooda after waiting for several months, from the first 2 months we got a notification on the dashboard that we need to top up the oil, we went to the service center and they did it for us without any explanation!We continued on this annoying practice every couple of months!Another issue in the car was the AC bad smell which Al Nabooda charged us to change the filter and do the cleaning which was not covered by the warranty!This week I went back again to renew the useless warranty without clear answer on the oil consumption except the Porsche cars consume oil!I have been living in Dubai for the last 23 years. I had Boxter, Cayman, Cayan, BMW, Mercedes, etc... and currently I drive Maserati Ghibli and I have never heard that a car consume oil every 1000 km and above. I drive my Maserati car for 20,000 km without toping up or changing the oil!They also called me this week to inform me that the brake pads needs to be changed and the price is AED 4,700 and when I complained suddenly the price went down to AED 3,500!Please allow me to share my frustration with Al Nabooda and my great experience with Al Tayar Motors since 5 years and the way they respect warranty agreements with amazing services.We also decided to sell the Macan and never come back to any brand under Al Nabooda!